The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-07-07

debit and credit account of the actual
operations and transactions on the col
lege farm during the seven months of
the college year. The data for the
other months will be supplied from
the regular farm books, and in Decem-
Der each student will have to complete
the work by making up the annual
balance sheet.
The lectures on manures and fertll-
izers have been extensive and evident
ly practical, and have gone to the
root of the matter much more effective
ly than was ever done before. After
the students had learned the founda-
ton principles of manuring, and under
stood the character of the various
forms of plant food in the market and
also in the plant, the practical applica-
ton of the matter was considered in a
practical way. The boys knew what
crops were to be grown on certain
parts of the farm, and were told .
HOW TO MAKE FERTILIZERS
that would supply the wants Of those
crops. After being told how, each
student was required to calculate the
formulas and analysis for mixing the
fertilizer. Then the raw ingredients,
such as sulphate of ammonia, dried
blood nitrate of soda, potash salts,
ETC., were purchased and mixed by
the boys themselves, according to
their own formulas, the correctness Of
which had previously been demon
strated in the class room. g
STOCK
The seniors were obliged to register
the thoroughbred stock. The student
was furnished with the power of at
torney to transact the business with
the herd book association. He had
to hunt up and confirm the pedigrees
of the animals he wished to record,
comply with all the regulations of the
herd book, and do the whole business,
and then make a report to the class,
thus getting practical experience in
the matter which will stand him in
good stead in everyday farming.
In fact, agriculture is at last occupy
ing a commanding position IN the i;nstt-
tuition. The old question of special
students still comes up occasionally,
but with the present resources, it is
felt that specials who do not desire
agricultural instruction cannot be
accommodated, by cas- of the extra
work they necessitate. The quality
of the agricultural instruction is as
good as it ever was,-in some lines
much better-and generally more ex-
tensive. None of the students prior
to Prof. Alvord's day ever had the
practical training in the three direc-
lions above outlined this is
just the kind of knowledge the boys
and the farmers want.
AGRICULTURAL. IMPLEMENTS.
Besides the muser'n connected with
the agricultural lecture room, there
r two large rooms in the basement
underneath devoted to agricultural
and dairy implements. An excellent
collection has already been COM
menced, contributions to which are
being received from manufacturers
and dealers in different parts of the
country. The value of this implement
collection will be recognized when it
is understood that the student is
obliged not only study the different
implements, but is obliged to take
them apart and put them together
again, so as to have a practical knowl-
edge of their construction and merits.
THE COLLEGE FARM,
has been much improved and the
work systematized. Fifteen acres of
corn, five acres of oats, five e of
roots and potatoes, and smaller acre
ages of barley, wheat and various
of fodder crops to be used to illustrate
the lectures, are growing this season.
Haying is already commenced. The
barn has been ~re-arranged so far as
the means would permit, and the